Newport News jury convicts man of murder, recommends 18-year sentence

Jerrod Reid, 23 was shot to death at a Denbigh BP gas station New Year's Day in 2015. More than four years later, a jury convicted Rishaud Powell, 32, of second-degree murder. (Sarah J. Pawlowski / Daily Press file photo)

A jury in Newport News Circuit Court convicted a man of second-degree murder for a 2015 homicide following a marijuana deal and recommended a sentence of 18 years in prison.

Rishaud Powell, 32, was convicted Friday following a four-day trial. The jury recommended the sentence Monday after hearing testimony from relatives of Powell and Jerrod Reid, who was 23 when he was killed.

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The jury’s recommendation of 18 years — 13 years for the murder conviction, and a mandatory five years for use of a firearm in commission of a felony — fell between the requests of Powell’s attorney Andrew Sacks and prosecutor Molly Newton. Sacks requested the minimum 10-year sentence, and Newton requested the maximum 45-year sentence.

The final decision on sentencing lies with Circuit Court Judge Timothy Fisher, who will make his decision in July.

On Jan. 1, 2015, Reid met Powell at a gas station at Tabbs Lane and Warwick Boulevard in Denbigh to purchase marijuana, according to attorneys and Daily Press archives. Reid tossed money into Powell’s car and left with the marijuana, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Andrea Booden said in an email.

Prosecutors said Powell got out of his car, ran after Reid and shot him in his head. Sacks argued that the men “tussled” and the shot was fired accidentally.

Witnesses saw Powell run from the scene, and he was able to flee from the area in his car, Daily Press archives state. He was arrested a few days later.

In his closing statement before the jury deliberated on sentencing, Sacks maintained that he was disappointed in the murder conviction and that the shooting was accidental and does not warrant a maximum sentence.

Each attorney talked about choices the men made before Reid was killed.

Sacks highlighted Reid’s role in the purchase, pointing out that he reached out to Powell, whom he had never met, and used counterfeit money to buy the marijuana. He also referred to testimony from a witness who knew of the counterfeit money and felt nervous about the deal.

Newton said Powell made the choices to be at the gas station, have a gun and get out of the car. Initially, prosecutors sought charges for first-degree, or premeditated, murder.

Sacks said Powell had no intention of doing harm when he went to the gas station and was provoked into a bad situation where a shot was fired during a tussle.

Newton said sentencing was a matter of safety, necessitating a maximum term of incarceration. Reid was shot in a public place and during business hours of the gas station. She also said Powell has had second chances following prior convictions from when he was a teenager. Sacks also pointed out the convictions, but said they showed Powell had been on a better path because he had not had any legal trouble for about a decade.